metabolism

The Danger of Belly Fat & Stress Hormones

February 16, 2021 By admin

What is belly fat?

The stomach muscle covers the midsection of your body, and connect to your pelvis. If you’ve a pad of excess fat covering the muscle, it is known as belly fat, and it’s called visceral fat.

Visceral fat, or belly fat, extends deep into your abdomen, and is close to your internal organs, such as the heart, stomach and liver.

Visceral fat is different to the subcutaneous fat which lies just under the skin, and is far more dangerous. It is made up large fat cells which can grow pack into the spaces between the organs, and results in a negative effect on how they function. This can have a serious effect on your health.

It’s not only fat people who have belly fat, there are factors which show that thin people get it as well i.e. ‘Skinny Fat’.

Essentially though, you need some belly fat to cushion your organs in case of a bump or fall. It’s only when it is alarmingly expanded that you need to take action!

What causes belly fat?

There are many causes of belly fat, most of them directly related to your diet and lifestyle. Here are some of the reasons for the increase in belly fat:

Excessive intake of sugary and refined foods such as cakes, candies, sweets, rolls and cookies.
Nutrient-poor processed foods and carbohydrates which are not able to be processed by the liver, and end up being stored as fat.
Heavy alcohol consumption is linked to excess belly fat.
Inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle plays a huge part in obesity, including the dangerous belly fat.

Embracing a healthy eating plan can help prevent belly fat from developing, and fat burning foods like nuts, eggs, lean meat, peppers, leafy greens will help.

How hormones are linked to belly fat.

If you have extra belly fat it can indicate that you have an imbalance in the following hormones:

Cortisol - is a hormone which is essential to survival. It is produced in the adrenal glands and dictates how energy is used, control of blood pressure, and promotes the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats. It also helps your body mount a response to stressful situations.Undue stress results in an over-production in response to the stress, which leads to cravings for sugary, fatty comfort foods. This extra food is stored as fat, especially round your abdomen.
Oestrogen. Too much oestrogen is a major cause of belly fat, and studies have shown that it affects both men and women. Excess abdominal fat in men increases the conversion of testosterone to oestrogen, and as the oestrogen levels rise, the belly fat increases.This gives rise to a vicious circle as testosterone levels drop lower than normal, leading to increased stress, increased cortisol production, more cravings and more belly fat.

The dangers of belly fat.

Researchers at the American Diabetes Association revealed that visceral fat is just not there in an inactive state. It in fact produces toxins, among which are chemicals called cytokines, which increase your risk of heart disease. The cytokines also make the system less sensitive to insulin, which could lead to the development of diabetes.

Studies at the Massachusetts General Hospital reported that visceral, or belly fat, is one of five components of a metabolic syndrome which increases the risk of the following conditions:

Stroke and heart disease.
Brain problems such as depression and dementia.
High blood pressure and possible hardening of the arteries.
Promotes the development of triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood.
Leads to poor blood sugar control which can lead to diabetes.
Causes inflammation in the body which increases the chances of falling prey to diseases.
The inflammation may also aggravate arthritis, and lead to other bone problems.

Some ways to help combat belly fat.

Get your stress levels as low as possible. Stress may lead to a spike in blood sugar, which promotes insulin resistance.
Get more exercise. Exercise is crucial to help combat belly fat, so commit to regular exercise to reduce the size of your midriff.
Cut out refined, acidic foods. The extra acid in your system which cannot be metabolised, will be deposited in your fat cells.
Cut down eating saturated fats which are found in fatty red meats, bacon sausages, processed meats, and cheeses. Opt for lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken, and fish such as salmon, trout, tuna and hake which are rich in omega 3.
Eat some good fats, because research has shown that not all fats are bad, and by adding some good fats to your diet, helps the body burn bad fat. Some foods containing healthy fats include avocado, olives, walnuts, and fatty fish.
Drink less alcohol which is high in calories and sugar, and leads to fat gain, often apparent in the middle and waist area.

Banishing belly fat will be good for many things.

heart health

Excessive, unsightly belly fat may also have a detrimental effect on your self-confidence, and as well as your self-esteem. Looking good again, can help rebuild positive feelings about yourself.

But the most important benefit will be the restoration of good health, and a major improvement in your general feeling of well-being.

Nip increasing belly fat in the bud by dealing with stress to prevent the super-production of the stress hormone, cortisol which is the major culprit in the development of belly fat.

By getting your stress under control you can start to reduce your extra weight gain.

References : Harvard Medical School – Massachusetts General Hospital.
www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-truth-about-belly-fat
www.dailyburn.com/life/health/how-to-lose-bellyfat
www.doctoroz.com/article/reset-your-hormones-beat-belly-fat

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Thyroid issues? You can’t lose weight tired all the time

October 24, 2019 By Sue

Thyroid issues are more and more prevalent. When clients say they feel exhausted, a bit depressed, have gained weight, have no motivation, poor digestion, weird hormones and no sex drive, then it may be that their thyroid is causing the problem.

Unfortunately when women tell their doctor they have these issues, they’re often given anti-depressants when a large proportion may actually have thyroid issues.

Your thyroid function can be either under or over active. An under active – hypothyroidism, means your body isn’t producing enough of the thyroid hormones it needs to run therefore your entire body is running too slowly and with an over active -hyperthyroidism, means your body is working far too hard!

I’ve had my own thyroid problems after my son was born. I lost a lot of weight quite quickly, I thought I was the lucky one and was relieved that I didn’t have to worry to much about losing the baby weight. It was a bit more complicated than that, my heart began racing, I felt dizzy and light headed – a whole lot more serious and a little scary.

I do remember at various times in my life having had a slightly swollen neck which may have been an indication that I had this tendency to being hyper. I think the stress of a C-section, new born etc. may have sent my thyroid into overdrive and I was diagnosed with post-natal hyperthyroidism.

Untreated it can lead to Graves disease. Fortunately, I was able to correct the hyperthyroidism using a combination of non-medical natural tools, and managed to avoid any medication.

Your thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped gland in your neck, and it’s estimated that 20-50% of the population has issues with their thyroid, 60% of people with thyroid issues are unaware of it.

There is a group of women who are unaware that they have what is known as sub-clinical hypothyroidism (where there are elevated TSH levels, but normal T4 levels, possibly with symptoms) this has been found in approximately 4% to 8% of the general population but in approximately 15% to 18% of women over 60 years of age.

Thyroid’s Function & Hormones

Your thyroid produces hormones that affect almost every cell in your body and it works as your thermostat, regulating temperature, it regulates hunger, extracts vitamins and produces energy from food. It produces hormones (chemical messengers) to manage this – mainly T4 and T3.

The pituitary gland in the brain initiates the hormone messenger, TSH which is the messenger to get the thyroid going.

The thyroid makes thyroid hormones, T3 and T4.

TSH, which is made by the pituitary gland in the brain, regulates thyroid hormone production. T3 being the most active and ‘useful’ in the body.

10 Signs of an Underactive Thyroid:

1. Fatigue after sleeping 8 hours a night or needing to take a nap daily

2. Weight gain or inability to lose weight

3. Mood swings, anxiety, or depression

4. Hormone imbalances – PMS, irregular periods, infertility, and low sex drive

5. Muscle pain, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, or tendonitis

6. Cold hands & feet, feeling cold when others are not, or having a low body temperature

7. Dry or cracking skin, brittle nails and excessive hair loss 8. Constipation

9. Brain fog, poor concentration, or poor memory

10.Neck swelling, snoring, or hoarse voice

9 Signs of Overactive Thyroid:

1. Nervousness, anxiety and irritability

2. Mood swings

3. Difficulty sleeping

4. Persistent tiredness

5. Heat sensitivity

6. Swelling in your neck might be an enlarged thyroid (goitre)

7. Unusually fast heart rate (palpitations)

8. Twitching or trembling

9. Unexplained Weight loss

How do you know if your thyroid is a problem?

You really do need to look at some thorough testing. It does very much really depend on the knowledge and awareness of your doctor. They generally only test for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and sometimes, the T4 hormone.

To thoroughly check your thyroid you need to have TSH, T4, and T3, reverse T3, vitamin D and your antibodies tested.

Thyroid function is something that can come up quite often with clients. Knowledge from correct testing will provide you with the best information when it comes to choosing how to manage your thyroid – so do get as much information as you can from doing the correct tests. (Please note the thyroid issues are complicated so I’m trying not to over complicate and keep things simple)

Thyroid disease and the Autoimmune Component

The body can also produce antibodies that attack the thyroid and stop it doing its job. This is known as an auto-immune condition, when the body attacks itself. Dr. Isabelle Wentz suggests that 95% hypothyroidism probably has an auto immune component – Hashimotos.

Hashimoto’s is when your body produces antibodies that attack the thyroid and impair its function. This is easily missed, as testing often shows your thyroid is producing hormones correctly but miss the fact that it’s correct function is being impaired by antibodies.

Thyroid issues do run in families, so you are more likely to suffer from some kind of thyroid disease if family members struggle with them.

There are some things you can do:-

Fight for thorough testing – either via an endocrinologist, or practitioner that can get access to a full thyroid panel, get a referral or go privately. I can support you to ensure you are getting the help you need
Consume nutrients for good thyroid health, like iodine, protein, selenium, zinc, iron, vitamin D, vitamin A, omega-3 fatty acids, and a variety of B vitamins.
Clean up your diet. Avoid inflammatory foods, like sugar, gluten or dairy to support the health of your thyroid.
Avoid high amounts of stress, nutrient depletion (selenium and iodine) as the conversion of T3 can be impaired and you can end up with to much of reverse T3
Take a high quality multivitamin with Iodine, Zinc, Selenium, Iron, Vitamin D, and B vitamins.
Find ways of managing your stress and support your adrenal glands. Your adrenals and thyroid work closely together. Support your adrenal glands to cope better with stress – walking, gentle yoga and adaptogenic herbs,
Get at least 8 hours sleep a night.
Heal your gut. It’s critical to good health.
Get support. Find someone to support you with what you eat to get you back on track!

Be sure to get educated, get tested and ask for the print outs of your blood test result from your doctor. If you want more help with getting tested, addressing your nutrient deficiencies, ditching sugar and gluten, thenI can help. Please get in touch [email protected]

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Zinc for Skin, Hormones and Cravings

May 8, 2019 By admin

Zinc is an essential trace element, that’s found and used by every cell throughout your body. Could this simple mineral deficiency be the cause of your health issue?

It’s estimated that around 20% of the world’s population, have sub-optimal zinc status.

This nutrient isn’t usually in the spotlight, but your body’s performance wouldn’t be nearly as harmonious without it.

Why is Zinc So Important?

It is important for the functioning of over 300 enzymes and underlies the physiology of every body system.

Zinc is one of 16 essential minerals that you need to survive. you only need small amounts of it. Anytime a nutrient is considered ‘essential’ it means your body needs it to stay healthy, you can’t produce it and therefore you must get it from your food.

We don’t hear as much about it as we do major minerals—like iron, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium—which your body uses in larger amounts. But your body relies on zinc for growth, maintenance, and numerous biological functions – skin health, immunity, growth hormones, and more, so it’s definitely worth keeping tabs on your intake.

Someone I know told me that when she addressed her zinc deficiency, within days, her energy and sleep returned to normal.

What are the signs that you might not be getting enough zinc?

A weak immune system (frequent and/or long colds), poor wound healing
GI issues – Diarrhea, low stomach acid production, gut wall barrier function
Hair loss
Hormonal imbalance (PMS, hypothyroid, low progesterone, infertility, low libido)
Fatigue or Brain fog
Changes in taste & smell
Slow growth in early years
Low mood, memory, concentration
Anxiety and depression

Incredible Benefits of Zinc

Your body uses zinc in numerous ways, here are some of the key areas:

1. Significantly boosts your immune systemand helps to fight off viruses and bacteria.

It’s essential for the normal development of your immune cells, zinc supplements can be used in SOS moments to reduce the duration of a cold. It also supports the function of the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) that protects your cells from oxidative damage caused by exposure to environmental toxins.

2. It can help your skinand plays a key role in cuts and scrapes healing properly —in fact, it’s involved with every stage of the process, tissue renewal to scar formation. If it takes a while for your cuts, scrapes, and burns to heal, you may want to take a look at your zinc intake. Acne sufferers – studies have found that certain forms of the mineral can soothe breakouts.

3. Zinc may help keep your vision healthy as you age. Several studies have found that supplementing with zinc can help protect you against advanced age-related macular degeneration. This is a condition that can lead to vision loss, and it’s most common in those over 50.

4. Zinc keeps your blood sugar stable and plays a role in the synthesis, storage, and release of insulin in your pancreas. So, a zinc deficiency could negatively affect your insulin levels, which can lead to negative changes in appetite and blood sugar levels.

5. It keeps your digestion running smoothly. Zinc acts as a co-factor in a lot of gut activities – like helping your body to properly digest food(stomach acid production), absorb nutrients and may improve your gut wall integrity.

You may mistake symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea for something like a gluten intolerance. Zinc deficiency is related to digestive problems like diarrhoeaand supplementation has been shown to reduce the duration of acute diarrhoea.

6. It could help reduce inflammation: Some researchers believe that low zinc levels are associated with systemic inflammation, a condition that’s linked with everything from heart disease to cancer.

I have written before about how inflammation is increasingly thought to be a significant contributor to many chronic illnesses—from cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disorders and Type 2 diabetes—more so as we get older.

Chronic, low-grade inflammation is worsened by excessive fat around the middle, poor diet, lack of exercise – all the usual lifestyle factors.

Zinc is one of the body’s natural anti-inflammatories, however it is susceptible to malabsorption, particularly as we grow older, leading to deficiency.

7. Zinc benefits both male and female hormonal health, you need sufficient levels of zinc for your body to create hormones. and to maintain proper hormone balance.

Boosting fertility, as it plays an important role in increasing testosterone naturally, and is involved in the creation and release of eggs within and from the ovaries.

Research has found that zinc levels are directly associated with the following hormones,

Testosterone
Growth hormone
Thyroid hormones – T3 & T4
Oestrogen
Progesterone

If your levels are too high or too low it can cause problems with menstruation, mood swings, early menopause, thyroid and infertility.
8. When you’re under stress, whether emotional (e.g. work) or physical (e.g. trauma, overtraining), you’re at risk of using up zinc more quickly than you’re able to replenish it, and become more vulnerable to infection, as well as other health issues, such as depression.

Zinc manufactures enzymes which are required for serotonin (the happy hormone) production and is also involved in the synthesis of a neurotransmitter called GABA that calms down your nervous responses.

In particular it reduces the activity of beta waves in your brain, this allows more analytical thinking.
Studies have shown that zinc levels are low in patients who are anxious or depressed.

Zinc also ….

Helps to create DNA in every cell
Is essential during growth and development in babies and children.
Provides building blocks for enzymes needed in a healthy metabolism.
Supports protein synthesis.
Allows you to smell and taste.
Can combat high blood pressure.
Boosts athletic performance through improved muscle repair.

Who may be at risk of a low zinc status:

Vegans and vegetarians are susceptible, as plant foods are less abundant in zinc than animal protein. Plants are often rich in a substance called phytic acid that inhibits the absorption of minerals.
Poor absorption – amongst those with digestive conditions (e.g. inflammatory bowel disease) and diarrhea.
Low stomach acid levels driven by ageing and stomach acid lowering medications, result in poor zinc absorption. The elderly, are most susceptible be the reason why they are at high risk of a zinc deficiency and immune issues.
High usage of zinc – due to high stress, or pregnancy, breastfeeding, high alcohol intake, and chronic use of other ‘zinc-depleting’ medications such as diuretics.

How Do You Increase Your Zinc Status?

Zinc is found in animal protein, especially red meat, turkey, oysters, and shrimp.

Plant foods also provide zinc – pulses, legumes, nuts, and seeds i.e. cashews, pumpkin seeds, beans, lentils, quinoa and eggs. To improve the absorption of zinc from phytate-rich plant foods such as pulses, grains, nuts and seeds – soak, ferment, or sprout them, this will help to reduce the phytate content.

Support your ability to handle stress by practicing a daily relaxation technique, increase your intake of calming herbs, nutrients – like B Vitamins, magnesium, passiflora and L-theanine. Using calming essential oils – lavender, clary sage and bergamot.

Support your digestion and absorption – with mindful eating, probiotics and digestive enzyme supplementation.

Consider daily zinc supplementation, especially if you are vegan, vegetarian, pregnant, breastfeeding, and for children as well, and seek the advice of a professional for tailored advice according to your unique health needs. Zinc supplementation has been shown to be beneficial for a wide range of clinical scenarios.

Improving your zinc status may well be the missing link to your path to optimum health.

Low stomach acid causing digestive, low energy and skin issues?

October 25, 2018 By admin

Could Low Stomach Acid Be The Reason For Your Gut, Low Energy & Skin Issues?

The gut is the key to your vitality and therefore your ability to digest, absorb, assimilate and eliminate waist is critical.

Sadly, many people never ask the question “Is my stomach functioning properly?” And as a result we can make all kinds of unnecessary dietary changes and spend loads of money on supplements that might have been avoided.

So, have you tested yourself for low stomach acid?

The answer is most likely “no,” because stomach acid is one of the MOST UNDER- LOOKED areas and I cannot stress how important this is…as almost 70% of the people I work with have low stomach acid.

When I started taking betaine HCL for low stomach acid, I was surprised at the huge difference this has made. It is one of the most helpful supplements I’ve come across and it has significantly helped improve my own digestion.

Common Signs You May Have low Stomach Acid

Your gut is a key and as Hippocrates put it, “All disease begins in your gut.” So if your gut’s not happy, it could be the reason for your…..

….Bloating? Wind? Cramps? Heartburn? Loose Stools? – messages from your body that there’s something going on in your gut and it’s time to do something about it?

In some cases poor gut health and digestive disturbances could be the root cause of seemingly UNRELATED symptoms.

You may also be struggling with:

Achy joints, fibromyalgia, osteopenia, osteoporosis
Hormone imbalances – hot flashes, loss of libido, PMS and painful menses. Extra pounds around your waist
You might feel tired and rundown
Moody, irritable, sad
Insomnia, poor memory & concentration,
Dull lifeless skin & hair

Why Is Stomach Acid So Important?

Stomach acid or hydrochloric acid (HCL) is responsible for sterilising any food that enters your gut and it breaks down protein.

Low stomach acid creates a cycle of poor digestion, gut inflammation, microbial over- growth, leaky gut and lowered nutrient absorption. The only things that can break this loop is to reduce stress and support adequate stomach acid production.

The Problem With HAVING Low Stomach Acid:

When your body doesn’t produce enough stomach acid, it’s unable to digest protein molecules. These partially digested protein molecules enter your small intestine, and will start to irritate your gut lining and can lead to ‘leaky gut syndrome’.

Poor digestion also creates an environment in your gut that can result in small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), candida overgrowth and parasitic infections.

When your food is not digested properly it can lead to increased inflammation that depletes key minerals and leads to an inability to form stomach acid and the vicious cycle continues.

Some Causes of Your Low Stomach Acid:

This could be anything from stress, poor diet, bad relationships, bad posture, constant worry and fear and overuse of medications.

1) Medication – increase your intestinal inflammation, stress hormones and a reduction in HCL production.

2) Chronic Stress impairs your ability to produce HCL and other digestive juices.

Proper digestion depends upon us being more in the parasympathetic (Rest & Digest) state, whereas chronic stress puts us in a sympathetic (Fight or flight) state, causing POOR digestive function.

4) A diet high in processed foods, sugars, grains, alcohol and caffeine etc. Can result in mineral deficiency that is needed for the production of HCL

5) Eating Too Quickly – when you’re in fight or flight mode. You should feel relaxed before and after eating.

6) Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth – there is a HUGE connection between SIBO and low stomach acid levels.

7) All our systems slow down as we get older, and so does the production of HCL! If you’re over 50 years, I highly recommend you do the test to check your HCL levels

8) Food sensitivities cause stress in your body, which puts your body into chronic fight or flight. The most common offenders to consider avoiding are gluten, corn, soy, eggs, peanuts and pasteurised dairy.

If you do have a wide number of food sensitivities than it is a good bet you have low HCL.

Taking this simple inexpensive DIY test that can tell you a lot about the ability of your stomach to digest.

The Baking Soda Stomach Acid Test:

This test is a simple chemical reaction in your stomach i.e acid + base = gas + water. Baking soda ( the base OH-) + your stomach acid (HCL or acid H+) should produce carbon dioxide gas (CO2) and result in a burping effect.

To improve the accuracy, perform this test on 3 consecutive mornings to find an overall average and test first thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything.

Here is How You Can Do The Test:

1. Mix 1⁄4 tsp of baking soda in 120ml of water, first thing in the morning before eating or drinking.

2. Drink the baking soda solution

3. Time how long it takes for you to burp. Go up to 5 minutes. If you’ve not burped within 5 minutes then it would be a sign of insufficient stomach acid production.

If you have early and repeated belching than it may be due to too much stomach acid. However, it is important not to confuse these with small little burps from swallowing air when drinking the solution.

In the end, knowledge is power when it comes to your health. Take the time to understand how your stomach works and it just might change your life. Addressing low stomach acid might be one of the first places you could look to improve digestive health, heal leaky gut and reduce overall stress on the body.

The “4 R’s” program to Repair Your Digestive Function

This is the same program I use with many clients with a variety of health and digestive issues.

Remove: Food is the number one thing to to look at first when it comes to imbalances.

Eliminate known food allergens such as gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, etc. Alcohol, caffeine and NSAIDS should be avoided as well. “removal” of pathogens such as: (an overgrowth of) yeast, parasites, harmful bacteria, viruses, protozoa, etc. is part of the “remove” step.

In serious cases a stool analysis will diagnose infections that can be eliminated with natural medicines or medications.

Repair: Repair the intestinal barrier.
Replace: Adding dietary supplements if necessary to improve digestion of food, like Betaine HC. Get in touch if you would like to order this supplement- [email protected]. We can deliver anywhere in UK and South africa.
Reinoculate: Probiotics that contain friendly bacteria such as lactobacillus and bifidobacteria are taken to reinoculate proper bacterial colonies.

If you’d like to know more about this programme, contact me at [email protected]

In my

Vitamin D are you getting enough?

March 21, 2018 By admin

Most of Us Are Deficient, Even if You live in A Sunny Climate.

Just some of the things this vitamin is helpful with – Low Mood, Pregnancy, Weight gain, Low Immunity, Fertility, Thyroid, Gut, Brain, Bones, Heart…..are you sure you’re getting enough?

The level of Vitamin D deficiency is quite staggering, with most adults believed to be deficient – think lack of exposure to sunshine, spending way too much time inside and sunscreens (if you happen to live in a sunny, hot climate) and we’re only getting a fraction of the vitamin D we need.

It is one of the most common deficiencies I see!

Some studies estimate that one billion people worldwide have insufficient Vitamin D levels. However, the rate of true Vitamin D deficiency is likely even higher, because new research indicates that the previous recommended levels of Vitamin D were actually too low.

The widespread deficiency of Vitamin D is concerning because it plays an important role in many areas of our health. It contributes to bone strength, hormones, heart health, and cancer prevention. And, it plays a hugely important role in your immune system and can be a determining factor in whether or not you develop an autoimmune disease.

What is Vitamin D?

It’s name is slightly misleading, as vitamin D is both a vitamin and a hormone, stored in your liver and fatty tissues..

How Your Body Gets Vitamin D From the Sun

The amount of melanin (which is the substance that affects how light or dark your skin colour is) you have in your skin affects the amount of vitamin D you can produce; the fairer your skin, the more easily you can make vitamin D.

Melanin gets released when we are exposed to the ultraviolet rays of sunshine, which is why it’s often called “the sunshine vitamin,” The more sunshine we receive, the more melanin is released in our skin. Cholesterol in your skin then converts melanin into usable vitamin D.

Signs You Might Be Deficient in Vitamin D

Aches & pains – low levels can make you feel more feel more achiness in your bones and muscles,.
Feeling blue – you might need to improve levels of serotonin that are known to boost your mood. Studies have shown healthy adults given vitamin D supplements during the cooler months reported greater positive mood than given a placebo.
You’re 50 or older – your skin makes less as you get older, and your kidneys start to become less productive when it comes to converting vitamin D into the form the body uses. Many adults over 50 also end to spend less time outdoors and less sun exposure.
You’re overweight – Vitamin D is fat soluble, which means the more body fat you have, the more it gets diluted. People who are overweight may require more daily vitamin D to make up for this dilution effect.
You have darker skin – To make the same amount of vitamin D, someone with darker skin needs 10 times the amount of sun exposure compared to someone with very pale complexion.
Use Sunscreen frequently – although sunscreen is highly recommended, a sunscreen with higher SPF levels, reduces your skin’s ability to make vitamin D.
Fertility issues/ Low libido – Vitamin D deficiency can cause low oestrogen in women, which means low sex drive. It also causes low testosterone in men.
Lack of Sun – Most of us spend more time indoors, and time inside our homes sheltered from the sun.

Why is Vitamin D crucial for good health and preventing disease

Vitamin D is the precursor to your steroid hormones and is best-known for its bone supporting function. It’s also really important for regulating your insulin production to ensure optimum blood sugar balance, enhancing immunity, hormone production, supporting heart health and regulating your mood.

Bones

Vitamin D plays a role in calcium absorption into the bones. It has an effect on other important vitamins and minerals that contribute to your bone health. including vitamin K and phosphorus.

A deficiency can result in a softening of your bones called osteomalacia, increasing the risks for osteoporosis, fractures or broken bones.

Adequate levels can naturally slow the ageing of the your bones.

Hormones – Thyroid health, Fertility & Pregnancy

Vitamin D regulates the production of your thyroid hormones, one of the most powerful glands in your body, regulating everything from metabolism and body temperature to hormonal balance and sleep patterns, maintaining a healthy weight, your mood, immunity, energy levels, also keeping your hair, skin, and nails youthful and strong.

It’s also a key player in fertility, pregnancy and recovery. Therefore, if you want to increase your chances of a healthy conception, pregnancy, and postpartum period, protecting your thyroid is key.

Low levels of vitamin D can also interfere with proper testosterone and oestrogen production, leading to imbalances which can result in many unwanted symptoms.

Vitamin D linked with fertility success

A recent study published in the journal Human Reproduction compared data from results of pregnancy tests and found women who were low in vitamin D were 34% less likely to have a positive result.

Reduces Breast Cancer Risks

It has been shown to help reduce the risk of breast cancer because it helps prevent abnormal cells from multiplying.

Immunity

Vitamin D can enhance your immune response against various infections such as tuberculosis, colds & flu and viral infections. It helps with healthy cell replication and may play a role in protecting against the development of autoimmune conditions

Vitamin D works as a kind of switch in your body, sufficient levels of Vitamin D reduce your risk of infections by strengthening your innate immune system. It triggers your immune system anti-microbial response, allowing you to quickly and effectively fight off invaders before they can develop into a full-blown infection.

It’s also been shown that vitamin D seems to prevent prolonged or excessive inflammatory responses. Inflammation is often at the root of many modern, chronic diseases and autoimmune disorders: multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive disorders, high blood pressure, and more.

Mood

Vitamin D also has an effect on your mood. It activates the genes that release dopamine and serotonin. The lack of these neurotransmitters is commonly linked to depression.

This connection might help explain Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD when you’re getting less vitamin D, and therefore less dopamine and serotonin.

Ageing, Brain Health & Heart Disease

Elderly people with a moderate-to-severe Vitamin D deficiency are more likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

An international team of researchers spent six years looking at 1,658 Americans, aged 65 or older, who at the start of the study had not suffered from dementia, cardiovascular disease or a stroke—and who could walk without assistance. The team found that adults who were moderately deficient in Vitamin D were 53% more likely to develop a form of dementia; those with a severe deficiency were 125% more likely to be stricken with the disease.

How To Ensure You Are Getting Enough Vitamin D

Based on the current research, moderate sun exposure is best. Try to get out in the sun for approximately 15 minutes a day without any sunscreen (check the skin cosmetics you use, as most contain in-built sun protection factors that will block sunlight).

Due to the Western diet and an indoor lifestyle, it is becoming harder for us to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D in our body.

Food sources of vitamin D include oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, eggs and raw milk.

Due to the increase of fish and poultry farming, vitamin D levels in these sources are lower than expected. For example, farmed salmon was found to have approximately 75% less vitamin D in comparison to wild salmon.

Therefore, a vitamin D supplement is essentially the best way of ensuring that we get your daily dose of vitamin D.

Get Tested

The safest way to optimise your vitamin D consumption is to monitor your blood levels. To do so, order a 25-hydroxy vitamin D test, also known as the 25-OH D test. The optimal (not just “normal”) amount you want to see is 45 to 65 ng/mL, and in some cases, even higher levels are appropriate.

The RDA for vitamin D according to the USDA is 600 IU/day for adults. I often recommend getting 5000 IU/day, for a short term period to help raise the blood levels to adequate levels.

However keep in mind that this is a general recommendation and there is no way to know the exact amount that’s best for you without a blood test.

All vitamins are team players be sure have good levels of minerals such as calcium and magnesium that normally interact with it.

In Summary

I highly recommend that most of my patients get their vitamin D levels checked more frequently.

Why? Because having optimal vitamin D levels are crucial to nearly every single one of your body’s functions, and getting your vitamin D levels to right level sooner rather than later can prevent many chronic ailments from appearing later in your life.

I’d Like to invite you to make use of my offer of a FREE mini CONSULT, please click HERE and to book your appointment.

I’d love to chat on the phone/skype if you’re looking for more support managing your fatigue, low energy, hormonal imbalances and skin issues.

I so enjoy talking to women and helping them with their health. Please feel free to share if you have friends or family who might need help.

Your Beauty Products & Your Hormones

December 12, 2017 By admin

Cleaning  Up Your Beauty Regime

I’m  pretty  choosy about my personal care products.

When I first learned about what was lurking in my products there wasn’t a whole lot of choice out there.

Fortunately, it’s becoming easier and easier to find products free of the ‘nasties’ that can contribute to many health issues. 

I sometimes make my own – I especially like make nourishing facial oils.

Over the last few years there’s been an explosion in this space as more and more companies are creating cleaner lines in response to a growing interest in wellness and a greater scrutiny of questionable ingredients.

Why skincare?

Because our skin is our largest organ, and is also one of our 6 organs of detoxification.

And because  sooooo … many of the chemicals that are used in products intended for the skin (think: lotions, shower products, make up, etc.) are made with chemicals that can negatively affect our health.

Do you know why the things that we put on our skin matters so much? I wanted to be sure that you have the knowledge to make healthier choices when you next choose what personal care products you’re going to buy.

We’re often more concerned with what we put IN our body, than what we put ON our body but this month I wanted to talk about what you put on your skin whether it’s – shampoo, moisturiser,  deodorant or makeup.

Why,  you may ask? 

Many ingredients are known to be hormone disruptors and carcinogens. While manufacturers  may claim these ingredients are safe in small amounts.  The concern is that you’re exposed to so many toxins in our environment, we have no idea on the accumulative effect, so why add more fuel to the fire.

Many of the ingredients in skin care products penetrate your skin and end up in your bloodstream. 

The EU has banned over 1000 cosmetic ingredients, but the FDA says safety for personal care products is the responsibility of the manufacturer. That’s not reassuring… So, it’s really up to you, the consumer, to become proactive.

The average person is exposed to 126 unique chemicals in their personal care products alone, every day (US data). Now consider that your skin is your body’s largest organ, and is permeable to many synthetic chemicals that we come in contact with daily.  And studies have shown many of these chemicals do not break down, but simply accumulate in your body.

And that makes sense since it’s very literally, and obviously going inside us and working its way through our body. 

When we consume things orally they enter our digestive tract, where they get absorbed, and then work their way over to the liver through the hepatic portal vein. 

Our liver is the workhorse of the metabolic process. This special organ is unique in that it has two separate blood supplies. One of these creates a closed loop; things enter the bloodstream, pass through the heart and make their way to the liver to be metabolised or broken down. 

After those things, harmful or otherwise, are filtered out and metabolised through the liver, the blood returns to circulation, and makes it’s way back to the heart, and the cycle continues. 

The second blood supply comes directly from the  digestive system. 

Things that we ingest hit the liver and get metabolised  before  making their way into the blood supply, which is a good thing. 

This is called First Pass Metabolism and it simply means that the liver gets a chance to metabolise the chemical, compound, nutrient, whatever it is, first. 

So what does this have to do with skin?

Chemicals, compounds, etc, that enter the body through  absorption from the skin, and through inhalation actually  bypass this First Pass Metabolism.

They move through the bloodstream before eventually making their way to the liver to be metabolised. 

So, even though the amount of chemicals we absorb can be significantly less than those we ingest, the fact that they bypass that initial metabolism can mean that those exposures can be more detrimental. 

This is why our skin care matters! 

While first pass metabolism might be technical, explaining this concept can help you see why shifting to safer skin care is so important. 

People are often feel conflicted about whether they should use up what they have, or toss everything and buy all new stuff. 

I say take it one step at a time! When something runs out, replace with a better, safer version. 

Skincare products (makeup, deodorant, cleansers, body wash and shampoos) are often full of chemicals, some which come with a known health risk.

Parabens, for example, you may have noticed have been phased out of skin care products lately, with your favourite products now boasting they are “Now Paraben Free” – meaning that a lot of them, once upon a time, did include parabens.

Parabens have been phased out  because they’ve been found to mimic oestrogen and are of concern for the formation of oestrogenic cancers, such as breast cancer.

Because skincare is applied directly to the skin, a lot of it is absorbed into your bloodstream, so all of those unknown chemicals have a direct pathway to your liver.

So, how do you reduce your toxin load and protect your skin from damage?

Firstly, I’d advise you to use things up before you buy a new product – no need to be wasteful.
Educate yourself. Find out what chemicals you should be avoiding and why and it’ll make it easier for you to avoid them.
Look up recipes to make your own products and give them a go! There are natural shampoo and conditioner solutions, cleansers, masks and even toothpaste you can try if you are keen.
Choose products that have less chemicals it might take a bit of trial and error but it will be worth it in the long run. Your worth it (who says that again!!);

Download the complete free guide “A Naturopath’s Clean Beauty Check List – 10 Ingredients To Avoid” so that you can start to clean up your beauty for long term health.

A Naturopath’s Clean Beauty Guide